


An elf on christmas

by Tunder28



Category: Hellboy (Movies), Hellboy - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, warning for theme of christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-01-01
Packaged: 2017-11-23 06:30:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tunder28/pseuds/Tunder28
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John gets the task of explaining Christmas to Nuada. He doesn’t seem too happy about it...and neither is john.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An elf on christmas

**Author's Note:**

> To Ducky377 for being amazing and making me fan art on my random OTP (clint/coulson)

“Human! What is this”

 

Johns shoulders tensed as they always did when Nuada managed to sneak up on him. Ever since he and his sister had joined up they had startled him a number of times with their silent approach. John didn’t know which one was worse for it. Nuada with his deadly glare, or Nuala with her inquiring head tilt and blank eyes.

 

“What can I help you with Prince Nuada”

 

An offensive bright red line of tinsel was shoved towards his face, dangling from Nuada’s hands as if the thing had insulted him. 

 

“Your red ape left this in my room. After he tried to strangle me with it and lost the dual he fled. Proclaiming ‘it’s the last time he tried to be festive’....explain”. 

 

John slowly felt something inside crinkle up and almost die. It might have been his career... or his patience. “....Is hellboy ok?”

 

When the two usually fought, each would come away with wounds and Nuada was very touchy about who helped him with his injuries. Usually John was the one to bear the brunt of the princes insults and dry wit as he patched him up. John wasn’t sure whether to be thankful the prince trusted him some or he was such a lack of a threat the prince didn’t have to worry about it. He wasn’t thinking about it. 

 

“The demon is well, sadly. Happy even. Him and his fire princess have left the base it would seem. But not before implying some atrocious words and tales of the elf in your culture. Tell me about this”. Nuada looked to be in an extra bad mood already. Time to do some damage control. 

“You and your sister can leave base today as well prince. The probation stage of your recruitment has ended and your entitled to spend the holiday with who or where you want-“

 

Not the best thing to say.

 

“I will leave and stay when I choose to human. You were going to explain the meaning of this object...and this ‘holiday’ that you speak of”

 

Time to recruit some help.

 

“Is Abe still in the library?” John started on his walk towards the haven, sure that Abe would help dull the heat of Nuada’s rage since Nuala wasn’t far from the sapien. 

 

“No. The fish has left. Taken my sister with him to the halls of Gabriath, deep in the city of Alloth. Do you not have the knowledge to tell me these tales, or should I find someone more suiting?”

 

The dry sting of the princes tongue at work again, and on Christmas day. John wasn’t feeling up for a prideful debate. But Christmas was one day in one year and passed so quickly. 

 

“Alright Nuada, come with me. I’ll show you”

 

Who knew John could perform such an evil smile. This was either going to go very well or very bad. 

00000000000000000000000000000000

“This is outrageous! We are not slaves-“

 

“Of course not. You need to understand Nuada. Even in our....ignorance, we knew there were other beings in the world. We were not the only ones to inhabit this planet and as one we each worked together to make it better. It’s a tale, representing what each of us do for this one day. Its largely based on many religion and cannot be held to one, but it doesn’t seem to matter. People and other being of many religion can celebrate Christmas”.

 

John was holding one of the many books open on his lap. It was almost a Christmas tale. The fire burning away in the fireplace to chase away the yearly chill on base, john seated semi-peacefully with an old Christmas book in his lap....an elf looming over his shoulder.

 

“Why do their cheeks sparkle?”

 

Not so angry now, almost curious. Maybe John could pull this off. 

 

“It’s just how they are drawn. No one could recall what elf looked like since we were all separated so long ago, but we remembered you all. Your youthful and supernatural looks. This tale tells of us all working together for the father of time. That’s what Santa represents. We knew we were not alone, but we didn’t know what you looked like. So a man with hard to distinguish features was used. And not a man of great youth and strength either. This symbolized that creatures can in all different shapes, sizes...disguises”

 

Nuada gave him an evil glare, knowing what he was doing. He quickly moved on. 

 

“To celebrate the day, we dress up our homes and trees. And we give....freely to each other” Nuada’s face scrunched up as if he couldn’t believe it. 

 

“You greedy humans give your things away to each other?”

 

“Yes and we also receive from others. It’s a circle, so everyone can receive a gift”

 

“So you give....in order to receive something. sounds like greed to me”.

 

John shook his head, “No. We give people gifts because we also feel the need to please others and make them happy. Some people like the decorating, others the cheer, I agree most want the presents. Me personally, I like how it changes people, makes them happier, if only for a few hours....”

 

Nuada was silent near his shoulder, so he closed the book and stood. 

 

“Do you celebrate this day?”

 

John shrugged, “Sure, but all my family passed away when I was young. Even my adopted parents. So I like to spend it here with you guys....when your all behaving and giving me some time off”.

 

Nuada huffed but didn’t seem annoyed by the news, “giving you time off would make you soft-softer than you are now. It is best to always be prepared”. 

 

John nodded and left the prince alone in the library to hopefully contemplate happy Christmas thoughts. While hopefully he had time to grab the eggnog from the cafeteria and relax in his room. No doubt Nuada or one of the other agents would come to bother him. 

 

Although the trip to his room was short, John felt antsy when nearing his door. Sectioned off from the other agents, john had a small corridor to himself. Nearing his door proved nothing, so he stepped inside and did a brief scan. Nothing out of place. Or more like, something in its place. 

 

A small hand sized box sat on his desk, just near the vent that circulated cool air around the base. Raising an eye brow he drew nearer, more cautious of the gift. And a gift it would seem. 

 

A rather nicely decorated box, and when the lid was pushed aside, a somewhat brunt present for him. He had to cover his mouth out of shock and to stifle the laugh that was going to explode out of him. Only one person or being could have gotten into his room, left it as it was AND leave such a ...present, behind. Sitting under black cloth in the centre of the box was a small stub, and john would recognise it anywhere. He’d been prodded in the side and forced startled yelps out of him when hellboy was bored. The tip of hellboys tail.

 

Leaving the box where it was for someone to come collect, John plucked up the small card that had accompanied the gift. The words seemed to whisper on the surface, hanging long and solid enough for him to read with ease. 

 

‘He will not be sprouting any more....tall tales, of elf or any other being. A hard learned lesson, and present. Perhaps this will make you stronger in heart as it uplifted mine’

John could almost feel the glee in Nuada’s smile, and couldn’t help but laugh. No wonder Hellboy had ran off with Liz. No doubt to nurse some wounded pride over the loss of his tail length. Perhaps he should have not messed with an elf on Christmas.

END

(random names for city and places)


End file.
